The Same God Today

Photo courtesy of Julian Hacker @ pixabay.com

I was thinking recently about the prophet Ezekiel and his experience in the valley of dry bones, when the Lord told him He would give those bones new life. So I thought I’d share a poem the Lord inspired on the subject. The Scripture reference is Ezekiel, chapter 37.

THE SAME GOD TODAY

Bones in the valley,
Worthless and dry,
Bleached by the sun and
The wind blowing by.

God to the prophet
Did speak and did ask,
“Can these bones still live?
Is it too big a task?”

“Lord,” said the prophet,
“Only You know.”
“I’ll show you, Ezekiel;
My Spirit will blow.

“And cause them to live
And give flesh and skin;
They’ll rise like an army,
Give Me glory again.”

When our problems seem hopeless,
Too dead to restore,
We can look to Ezekiel
And his word from the Lord.

For the God who breathed life
Into bones dry and dead
Is the same God for us
If we’ll trust what He’s said.

 

---

Advertisement

The Passing

Original Watercolor © Sandra Pavloff Conner

Today the old chief passed,
Enwreathed by potent memories
Of battles fierce, of freedoms lost,
Of smoking pipe with enemies
Who swore to keep the peace treaties
But quickly spurned such promises
When greed for lands gained upper hand.
Today the old chief passed
And hastened to his ancestors,
To mountains, valleys, fertile plains,
Sparkling rivers, fields of grain,
Miles and miles of vast domain
Where Cherokee live free again,
Never again to be betrayed.
The old chief passed today.

---

Wounded But Preparing for a Comeback

True freedom and morality have taken a hard hit in the U. S. since the last presidential election, but all is not lost. There is an amazing movement of citizens who have finally awakened to the need to be much more vigilant and proactive than ever before — and a whole new generation of conservatives who are not afraid to break free of the establishment and actually fight for the freedoms our forefathers gave everything to win for us. Just thought I’d post a little haiku on that subject.

Waving proud and free —
Liberty’s banner endures:
Battered but not lost.

---

 

Soul Art Cinquain

---

Sometimes
It is enough
To take up brush and pen
And lay down shapes and colors soft —
Soul art.

---

Counting The Cost

Being in this lockdown mode has taken quite a toll
On, not just my activities, but on my soul.
I’ve found that although at the start, I chafed and whined,
Now, after many months, I’ve become self-inclined.
Where I was once outgoing and with people pleased,
I now am focused on myself, and I’ve perceived
That my self-world is very small and incomplete;
I can’t connect in person; no more meet and greet,
And even online friends, I’ve gradually set aside,
And drifted from the fellowship they did provide.
I wonder if these extreme efforts to stay “safe”
Are costing more than we should be willing to pay.
For while it’s true a little time alone is good,
Still too much time alone, it must be understood,
Can shrivel and dry up even gregarious souls;
We must have real-life fellowship to keep us whole.

---

 

Going Forward – cinquain

River,
Rushing freely
Over all obstacles,
Teach me to forge ahead with such
Passion.

Stepping Stones to Heaven — cinquain

Heaven
Is a little
Closer in the mountains.
My heart’s at rest there, and I can
See God.

Freedom of Speech

---

I know there are some who will hate me.
And others speak evil of me,
For taking a stand for what’s moral
And for keeping this nation free.

They’ve already gagged social media
That work constitutionally —
Those that allow us to speak truth,
And keep our speech legally free.

But, frankly, I won’t let it stop me.
Their opinions are not worth a sigh.
They don’t have the sense to perceive truth;
Their ignorance quotient’s too high.

But thousands have sacrificed dearly,
To win and preserve liberty.
Their blood cries out now to my own soul
That I must fight to keep us free.

And then there are millions of babies
Whose cries echo down through the years —
Butchered and murdered expertly
As lib’rals emphatically cheer.

So I won’t be quiet and passive.
I’ll speak forth the truth loud and clear.
And I know the forces of evil
Will be quite incensed when they hear.

They’ll sputter and spew out their harsh threats,
And might even put me in chains.
But even in prison, I’ll be right,
And they’ll find that they’ve nothing gained.

Because there’s an end to life on earth,
And before their Maker they’ll quell.
No matter how they twist their stories,
They’ll still end up going to hell.

---

 

Patterns of Life — Cinquain

Patterns
Make life seem right.
The varied parts should fit
And compliment each other to
Bring peace.

 

---

---

 

Standing Tall

In this crooked and perverse generation, we must stand tall for the Lord.

 

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus.
The strife will not be long.
This day the noise of battle;
The next the victor’s song.
To those who vanquish evil
A crown of life shall be;
They with the King of Glory
Shall reign eternally.”

______________________
Lyrics by C. Barry Robertson / George Duffield / George J. Webb

---

 

There Is A Cure

The truth of Jesus Christ’s complete redemption can be told in any form. In this post I’ve set God’s truth into Cinquain — one of my favorite poetic forms.

---

Virus:
To lots of folks
It is a scary word.
But there’s a name that can kill it:
Jesus!

Disease
By any name.
Must bow to Jesus’ name.
His sacrifice redeemed us from
Disease.

Have faith.
Get in His Word:
He says it’s medicine
For every ailment we can face.
Trust Him.

(Scripture References: Acts 3:16, Philippians 2:9-10, Galatians 3:13-14, Proverbs 4:20-22, and Psalm 107:17-20)

 

---

---

 

It’s Time To Sing

 

 

---

---

 

Kindness Has Its Own Rewards

 

---

---

 

At God’s Command

 

photo courtesy of Jeff Jacobs 1990 @ pixabay.com

`
The tomb in which Christ’s body lay,
And the stone that sealed the door,
Were both created by the God
Who by His own name swore
That after three days and three nights,
Christ would rise from the dead.

God gave His Word, which has the power
Against which none can stand.
And when He said, “The price is paid,”
And shouted His command,
Christ rose with life for one and all,
And vanquished sin and death.

---

---

 

 

The Amazing Story of the Real St. Patrick

I’ve shared this story several times in article format over the past 9 years, but never put it all together in a book that was available on a world-wide market. But now it’s available through Amazon in paperback and digital.

The little-known, but true story of one of the most amazing soul-winners in the history of the Kingdom of God. St. Patrick of Ireland’s life of ministry is replete with astounding miracles and spiritual experiences that match those reported in the chapters of God’s Word.

And Patrick is credited with bringing at least 70,000 people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ — without the use of any transportation except his feet and his horse, and without the help of electricity or modern technology on any level. The story related in this booklet is taken from Patrick’s own writings and sidesteps vague legends to give the reader powerful truth that will encourage and inspire the faith of everyone who wants to serve God.

Short and easy to read. Get a copy today and an extra for someone whose faith you want to inspire.

PAPERBACK:  $4.00

DIGITAL:  $0.99

---

---

**********************************

Hungarian Cookie Haiku

Memories so sweet:
Daddy baking cookies from
Fam’ly recipe.

Hungarian treat:
Flaky, sugared, golden dough
Stuffed with hickory nuts.

Each year at Christmas,
In kitchen warm and cozy –
Memories so sweet.

---

For decades, my dad (who was Bulgarian/Polish) baked Hungarian cookies. It was a recipe handed down from one Balkan country to another, and was a favorite of our family. However, in the last several years of my dad’s life, Christmas season included so many other activities as well that sometimes he just didn’t have time to bake those cookies along with everything else. When those years came along, he baked them for me on my birthday instead, which is February 1st. So it’s right that I’m thinking about them in February this year. I can almost taste them even now.

 

---

---

 

Christmas: The Long Version

I celebrate twelve days of Christmas.
Beginning on our Christmas day.
Keeping with cent’ries of tradition,
I give out a gift on each day.

The focus for twelve days of Christmas
Is keeping Christ’s birth fresh and new:
Continuing the happy rejoicing —
Not packing things up — as some do.

For Christmas is not just December,
And not just for two or three days —
Begun and then done oh so quickly,
Leaving many then feeling malaise.

Come, join me for twelve days of Christmas:
Sing carols and give gifts of love.
For twelve lovely days making merry,
Reveling with angels above.

---

---

---

photo courtesy of Prawny @ pixabay.com

---

---

 

Country Christmas Roads

Country lanes at Christmas —
For the traveler, such a chore.
Snow encrusted, rutted lanes
That make manuv’ring poor.

It’s hard to see the shoulders
And the middle line is blurred.
For traffic in the other lane
No ample room’s assured.

And drawing towards the end of day,
When light is running low,
Traversing snowy country roads
Mandates my going slow.

But I’ll continue trav’ling down
Those snowy country lanes,
To friends and fam’ly, waiting me.
It’s worth whatever strain.

Besides, those Christmas country roads
Through woods and fields snow-clad
Resound with quiet so unique
It makes my heart quite glad.

They seem to wear a special peace
That blankets their domain.
And settles over me when I’m
On snowy, country lanes.

---

---

---

photo courtesy of Reijo Telaranta @ pixabay.com

---

---

---

 

“Light On My Path” – Watercolor

---

 

~~~

---

 

Stepping Through The Door – Cinquain

Arek Socha @ pixabay.com

Portals
Wait before me.
I stand before closed doors
But do not let that hinder me:
“Open!”

Behold,
The doors obeyed.
And now I stand in awe.
I see what possibilities
Await.

So now
I must decide:
Will I cross the threshold?
Will I accept new challenges?
I will!

---

~~~~~

 

---

---

---